Tooth and Claw
by Wild Cat 214
Summary: Trapped in the Fortress for five years, Shyra never expected a cellmate, or that his dark side would captivate her so. With their escape comes a burning thirst for revenge, and the hope that she can master all four sides of her personality without giving in to the darkness. But with a conflicted hybrid, a triggerhappy channeler, and a flirtatious ottsel, anything's possible.
1. Prologue: Hidden For Centuries

_**Welcome to the first installment of the Hybrid Children trilogy!**_

 **Author's Notes: And now for a little touch of the familiar, with a twist. After reading quite a few fics that start off in the prison, I decided to do my own version. Shyra here has quite the backstory, right?**

 **Shyra: ...**

 **Wild Cat 214: C'mon, Shyra! Say something for the nice readers!**

 **Shyra: ...Why are you doing this to me?**

 **Wild Cat 214: Um... let me get back to you on that.**

 **What sort of backstory? A very twisted one, that's for sure. One that even I am trying to figure out while I write. But then again, that's what I'm doing half the time. Yup, I'm just weaving a tangled web of connections, coincidences, and characters.**

 **Disclaimer: Just the OC's and my twists, people. Nothing else is mine.**

* * *

 _"Few understand the ingenuity and strength of the Gryphus, that old race living in the desert known simply as the Wasteland. Even fewer realize that the city on the ground was merely one of their homes, the place they went when their mountaintop homes became too cold in the winter. But what many know is this: Gryphus society highly valued all children, even those born under questionable circumstances..." -Xavier Lang, author of_ Gryphus: The Truth About That Ancient Race

* * *

 _Eight years ago..._

The excavators in the desert hadn't expected such a great find. A perfectly preserved the stasis sphere, not even scratched by centuries in the center of an abandoned city. And if the display on the outside was any indicator, the person inside was still alive. Few in their group could read the ancient Precursor dialect on the display, but those who could realized this was the discovery of a lifetime. From the readings on the screen, they could see that the being inside was female, approximately nine years old, and was the last known member of the Gryphus.

* * *

Dr. Emily Reed had always adored the legends of the Gryphus, most beloved of the Precursors' children. Shapeshifters, they could transform into mighty gryphons and back without dealing any damage to their own bodies, using a lost form of magic. She knew the proper term for them was therianthropes, unlike lycanthropes, because their transformations were based on genetics, not a virus or disease that fought against their being. And now, she had the chance to actually speak to one in person. Inside, she was as excited as a five-year-old on their birthday. Outside, she was a calm, collected historian and scientist, mildly interested in the discovery. Naturally, since she was the expert on the Gryphus, Reed would be the one to speak to the girl inside.

Swallowing back her nervous excitement, she input the old code that would open the sphere. With a hiss of steam and the creak of metal that needed oiling, it broke up into several slices of equally sized metal and slid apart, folding back into a curved chunk of gleaming layered metal. The coppery color shone, giving everything a faintly golden-brown tone, and a ball of soft padding and wires fell to the sand. It split in half to reveal the strangest sight Reed had seen in her twenty-five years.

The girl had short, fluffy silver hair, a soft green dress made of what looked like cactus fibers, and dark silver, organic designs on her arms, legs, neck, and face. That alone would have stopped them in their tracks, but there was more. Instead of the usual long ears, she had feathered cat ears of the same color as her hair, with smoky stripes on them. Wings sprouted from her back, with gunmetal gray plates of metal on the front edges, just like on the first joint of each finger where her nails should have been. A tail curled around her, silver tabby fur with small plates of metal running across the top to the feathered tip. She was definitely not human, but one of the Gryphus of yore.

Reed nearly squealed with delight, but managed to hold herself back. Instead, she knelt down and picked up the girl. The only sign that she was alive was the faint movement of her chest and the rapid heartbeat the scientist could feel against her arm, which gently cradled the wings from below. She looked at her with both interest and warmth. Reed had never found the man of her dreams, instead devoting her life to the Gryphus, and so she felt a flicker of maternal love toward this child. With no Gryphus around to take care of her, how would she be able to grow up properly? Perhaps, if the king was okay with it, she could raise the little fledgling as the daughter she never had...

"Reed, is she alive?" her close friend Beverly asked. The woman looked up from her charge and smiled brightly.

"Yes, Bev. She's alive. Poor thing probably doesn't know what happened here," she replied a bit sadly, gazing around at the ruined city about them. No Marauders dared drive near it or attack anyone inside, mostly because of their belief that the Gryphus had been gods, but there was still the problem of Metal Heads. No matter. With King Damas on the throne and his wife beside him, the war would be over soon. Queen Verity had recently announced that she was pregnant, so an heir was sure to be on the way. For the first time in decades, things seemed to be looking up for Haven City and its people.

"Well, let's get back to Haven. I'd say we've found ample evidence that the Gryphus existed, and that this was their city. First with the pottery, then with the scraps of cloth in that basement, and now this girl, this is all we need to prove that we weren't the only children of the Precursors," Beverly's boyfriend, Miles, said smugly. The rest all murmured their agreement, and slowly they began to pack up their equipment and artifacts. Reed would have joined in, but Bev put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, you handle the fledgling. We'll take care of the heavy lifting," she said warmly, grinning at Emily. The other woman smiled back and started walking toward their transport, girl in her arms snugly. She set her down in a seat near the front, then remembered that Gryphus children needed to be kept warm, like eggs, or else they could get sick and die, so she wrapped a blanket around the girl. The air conditioning in the excavator's ship was just chill enough to make goosebumps rise on her arms as she watched the girl sleep, eyes flickering underneath their lids.

But at the same time, a chill passed over her. There was something about this girl that seemed... _off_ , somehow. Reed couldn't put her finger on it, no matter how hard she tried. Was it the feline, predatory aspect to her face that threw her off, or perhaps the inhuman ears? Either way, she knew that there was something different about her from what she had heard about the Gryphus. And Dr. Emily Reed, with her PhD in Ancient Culture, knew that she would find out someday.

* * *

 **Author's Notes: So, I first got the idea to write this a couple years ago, I think, and I just wanted to do this. I've got big plans in store, you know. Bigger than you could possibly conceive. Yes, you can try and guess what I'm scheming, but I doubt you will figure it out. That's not me being pretentious, but because I have a crazy mind! Muahahahaha!**

 **As always, review please!**

 **Wild Cat 214, flying out!**


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome To Hell

**Author's Notes: And so, we reach the real Chapter 1. What's in store for you? Well, a sneak peek at my take on the Dark Warrior Program, Jak and Shyra's first meeting, and foreshadowing! Yeah! Busy schedule!**

 **So, I've mostly been writing this up on my tablet, and I apologize for the non-updates on Unfilled Lives and Frozen Flames. I swear, it's not my fault! My laptop has decided to be an unreliable a-hole since December, which is why I'm using my tablet. I managed to get it working for a bit, and I even typed up the next chapter of Blue Eyes! In fact, as soon as I was about to post it, my laptop went kaput. That's life for you.**

 **Disclaimer: You'll know when I own Jak and Daxter, because I'd make a proper fourth game, filled with pointless romantic interests, daring adventures, and a whole bunch of terrible jokes. So only my OC's are mine. Lucky me...**

* * *

 _"The Gryphus have always been known to have a high resistance to Eco poisoning, mainly because of their lack of channeling ability. Even those who can manipulate Eco to a small degree have problems controlling it. Some believe this was intended as a check of their own power, ingrained upon them by the Precursors to prevent them from becoming the masters of their world. But a few learned folks have theorized that it is simply the gryphon side of them trying to protect the body against foreign agents. Whether a lesson in humility or the result of their blood, it is exceedingly hard to kill a Gryphus using Eco or Eco-based weapons. Not even Dark Eco, the most lethal of all, can do much in small quantities." -Xavier Lang, from_ Gryphus: The Truth About That Ancient Race

* * *

 _Two years ago..._

Shyra's POV

Who would have thought I'd get a cellmate after all these years? Not me, and definitely not Shadow. If it hadn't been for the daily sedation and Dark Eco treatment, I might have been forgotten among the cursed souls that languished in this prison.

Most of the other lab rats in here were situated in Cell Block Alpha, the closest area to the Chair. It was a recent addition, one the scientists had begged for so they could inject us with Dark Eco "humanely." Ha! None of them ever thought we were human, not after we had our old lives stripped away by their own selfish desires. Certainly not me. Then again, I was the farthest thing from human in this entire facility. Maybe that was why they sometimes cut me open and examined parts of me, or took samples of my blood, fur, and feathers. I couldn't feel the pain, though. They added powdered Green Eco to my saline whenever it was time for an examination, so the entire time I would be in a dream state. Green Eco did that to Gryphus. It was part of the reason why we preferred to heal naturally. That, and, unless they were a mongrel like me, the Gryphus were mostly Eco-intolerant.

Yeah, I wasn't fully Gryphus. Pinion had told me so when I was three, and once I knew, it wasn't hard to tell. All you had to do was look at the other Gryphus. While I had strange metal plates and metallic claws, they had soft feathers and fur, with razor-sharp bone for weapons. They had deep, rich, golden or emerald ryes while I had eerie yellow eyes. They had tawny fur and white feathers, or pure black for both, or gray with leopard spots, or white with tiger stripes. Me? I was just a smoky silver all over when I was a gryphoness, and the gunmetal plates on my body didn't do much to help me fit in. But I was Pinion's daughter, despite my rather murky conception, and so they tolerated my strange existence.

I wonder what they would say if they could see me right now.

* * *

Footsteps approached my cell, and I tensed up. I was in Cell Block Omega, the loneliest and most protected place located in the depths of the prison. The only other people in here were the unlucky eight who could channel Eco and were stuck in the Dark Warrior Program.

My keen ears noticed a slight difference. Correction. Seven people. Sara had just given out.

By my count, it was Commander Asshole, his two Pets, and someone being dragged along behind them. Gentle thrumming followed them closely, enough to make me think that something was up. That was the sound of the hover-cages, for when they needed to transfer prisoners to other Cell Blocks or the Chair. I was well acquainted with them. VERY well acquainted.

The steps ended just outside my door, and I quickly shifted. It left me a bit dazed (which, if I had been full Gryphus, wouldn't have happened), but at least I was prepared for anything. They wouldn't take me without a fight.

My cell door slid open with the usual hiss of hydraulics to reveal the smug body of Captain Erol, Pet 1, and Pet 2. In the arms of the Pets was a boy with greenish-blond hair, bruised skin, and the smell of salt on his skin, overlaid with just a touch of the usual polluted air of Haven. He also smelled like a very familiar animal, one my ancestors remembered, but I couldn't be sure. Whoever he was, he didn't seem like a native of the city. His clothes and scent were all off.

"Why, Shyra, were you that eager to see me? I'm flattered," Erol said, gesturing happily. My reply was a simple growl.

"Thought as much. Guess what? All you Dark Eco freaks are going to have a new friend and a new home. The Baron needs to cut the Eco flow to this section of the prison, and it'll be easier to experiment on you when we don't have to fetch you from so far away," he announced loudly, turning slowly to envelop all the other subjects in this statement. I narrowed my eyes at him and took a wary step back, brushing against the folds of my discarded uniform. He smirked and waved one of the Pets forward. Pet 2 took on the full weight of the boy while 1 walked into my cell to tranquilize me. He raised his gun, I screeched in defiance, and he shot me with a Green Eco dart. Just the usual day for me.

* * *

When it comes to Eco, my species is weird. Thanks to my mixed heritage, I can handle Eco fairly well, certainly better than most Gryphus. Green knocks me out and puts me in a dream state. Red boosts my strength, but at the cost of nearly all of my stamina. Blue gives me a quick burst of speed and energy, but I usually fall into a deep sleep afterwards. Yellow makes my eyesight better and my feet are surrounded by flames, but I can't hold it for very long without getting sick from the heat. Light? Don't know. I've never encountered it. And Dark? That's a special case. Thanks to five years of treatments, I've built up a resistance to it. And what did the Praxis regime think of that? They increased my dosage!

But I'm not just resistant. There were... other side effects. Like the one I meet whenever I go into a dream state.

* * *

 _" **There you are! I was wondering when you'd come to visit,** " a voice like mine, but not mine, called out loudly from the shroud of fog that surrounded me. The Dream World. My Dream World. The place I went whenever I absorbed Green Eco, and where she waited for the chance to take over. I walked further into the fog, passing through one thick patch and coming out in a clear spot. A figure was lounging about on a cloud, the dull gray rock beneath her just a smidgen darker than it should have been._

 _"Shadow," I said tonelessly. The figure smirked and waved one hand at me._

 _Shadow looks a lot like me, with a few key differences. Unlike my silver hair and tabby ears, she has black hair and ears with white stripes, like an inverted white liger. Her wings are the same, black feathers with white stripes, but instead of gunmetal-colored plates on the edges, she has gleaming obsidian plates, and her tail is identical to her wings. Claws like the plates grace her fingers and toes, and her skin is dark gray. But it's her eyes that tell me what she is. Pure white, no iris or pupil to break the dead silence of her eyes, and the one thing that tells me what she is. Shadow, the Dark Shyra, with eyes that disguise the unspeakable abyss within. She chose her name herself, saying that I would never be rid of her, that she would always be by my side, forever. But I'm glad to have her, pain in the ass that she is. Without her, I'd have been left in the dark on my own. Even a Gryphus couldn't handle half a decade like that. Not without a stasis sphere._

 _" **So, what do you think? Why are they moving us?** " Shadow asked casually, studying her claws. At least her position hid her naked form from me. It wasn't the nudity that got to me. I mean, it's just my own body. It was the scars that I didn't want to see._

 _Most Gryphus take pride in their scars, because it shows our strength and independence. These ones aren't like that. They're reminders of what the Baron has done to me, the weakness that kept me from fighting back, the fear for my life and the life of my mother, and the childish belief that someone would save me. The Gryphus of Lower and Upper Skyheed would have been so disappointed in me. And so I hid them, from the guards, from the prisoners, from myself._

 _"How should I know? Do I look like a Krimzon Guard to you?" I snarled back, sitting on a cloud that drifted my way._

 _" **No, you're a tiny bit better. Not by much, though. I'd like you more if you'd let me out to have some fun sometimes,** " she replied, unperturbed by my attitude. I shook my head grimly, the deafening silence around us pressing down on my ears. Sometimes I wished this place had a little more to it. Then I worry about what else might join us, and I stop wanting more. It's a funny life._

 _I let out a harsh screech of cold laughter._

 _"No way, Shadow. The last time I did that, you nearly destroyed half of our cell - because you were bored!" I replied sharply. Shadow sighed, but she didn't seem too disappointed. She was quite accustomed to my refusals._

 _" **Aw, you're no fun. Wonder what's going on out there...** " her voice said curiously. I nodded and settled in. With my luck, I wasn't going to be waking up any time soon._

* * *

3rd Person POV: Jak

Jak had no idea what was going on. The strange metal city, the people in odd clothes, the smell of exhaust fumes, the men in red that had knocked him out, and now this! He was in a floating cage in a dark, smelly building, screams echoed around him, and people with dead eyes were in the cages next to him. But the strangest thing was the animal in the cage right beside the ginger man, with a roughly folded bundle of filthy clothes next to it.

It was growling in its sleep, though he couldn't understand what it was saying. From the murky lights above he could tell it was some sort of silver bird-cat, just a bit bigger than Daxter.

Daxter...

How was he going to find his best friend now? Jak had no clue where he was, or what these people wanted. Although, the crazed muttering of the dark-haired man behind him was giving him a good idea.

"The dark... It's coming... The darkness is coming... The metal and the dark will meet their end at the hands of the hybrids, and a choice will be made... the most terrible choice..." he whispered under his breath, hiding his face in his scarred and calloused hands.

"Shh, David, it'll be all right. Everything will be fine," the woman next to David said soothingly, reaching her hands between the bars to clasp his shoulders gently. She had a warm twang in her voice, like an accent from Sandover Village. His home... what had happened to it?

"No, no, Leah... The darkness will consume us all, even me... Only the heir and the hybrid will survive the dark... Only the lies will last..." he replied hopelessly, whimpering at the end. It made Jak cringe. What had been done to these people? What was going to happen to him?

"Shut it, back there!" one of the guards shouted, slamming his weapon against the bars of Jak's cage. He scrambled back and watched the three men warily, and the ginger chuckled.

"Oh, we're gonna have such fun breaking you, Jak," he said cheerfully. The other two men snickered, and the motley band marched on to some unknown destination. The boy huddled in his cage, shaking silently. Was this hell? If so, what had he done to deserve this?

Finally, the parade of despair came to another door, a bit bigger than the ones they had been passing, and the guards began to open his cage. Jak was pulled out roughly and shoved into a large, sparse room, where the only furniture was a set of ten double-layered cots sticking out of the walls. He crawled as far away as he could from the red men, only to see them pushing the other seven people inside. For some reason, the ginger man picked up the animal and clothing himself, carried it inside while the two men kept their guns trained on them, and set the things down on a cot. He saw Jak watching and smirked smugly.

"This'll be your new home, Jak," he sneered, adding emphasis to his name before leaving. The door slid shut with a final-sounding thud, and his shoulders slumped. How did that man know his name?

A hand gripped him from behind, and he jumped.

"It's okay, it's just me," the same woman that had comforted David said from behind him. Jak turned around to see the blonde woman smiling at him weakly.

"I'm Leah, honey. This is David," Leah continued, waving a hand at the mumbling man, "that's Po and Crispin there," her hand drifted to the pair of black-haired, dark-skinned twin men against the wall, who waved silently, "and in the corner are Veronica, Darius, and Freya. Don't let Freya get near your hands. She likes to bite." An auburn woman smirked, a light brown-haired man chuckled silently, and a black-haired woman gave Leah a shocked look.

"Leah, how could you?" she asked, putting a hand to her chest. Jak was stunned to see more scars on the back of her hands than on David's.

"What? Poor kid needs to be prepared for spending time with us," she replied. Darius snorted.

"Then why don't you introduce the last of us?" he asked hoarsely. Leah flushed and turned back to him.

"Fine, fine. That's Shyra, honey. She's the youngest of us all, save you, and she's not always like that. Unlucky girl. She's been here longer than any of us, even me and David," she said quietly, pointing at the animal.

"Anyways, yer name's Jak, right? I heard Erol say it, but I wasn't sure. Ye okay?" Veronica asked. He nodded silently. Sometimes, not being able to talk sucked. She smiled and held out her own battered hand, and he clasped it uncertainly.

"Nice ta meet ya, Jak. I'm Veronica, but ye can just call me Ronnie," she said, a thick accent different from Leah's coloring her voice.

"Ya need someone beat up, laddie, I'm yer woman. I'll just sic Freya on them," she laughed. It was grim laughter, though.

"Anyways, welcome, lad. Ye're a subject in the Dark Warrior Program now, Jak, same as the rest of us. May the Precursors help us all."

He nodded again, and, not for the first time since arriving, wondered just what he had gotten himself into.

* * *

Shyra's POV

I woke up in a different cell this time, with several living bodies in the large room with me. Leah and David, Po and Crispin, and Veronica, Darius, and Freya. Sara used to be among that trio's ranks, but now she was gone. But there was someone in her place. The boy I had smelled earlier, the one that didn't belong in Haven City, he was here. I sat up and looked around with mild interest. This was where they had taken us? Why put us all together? We were stronger like this. Unless... they planned to use that for something.

"Hey, check out Sleeping Beauty here. Someone slept through the whole trip," Darius joked humorlessly. I flicked my ears back and stretched, then hopped down to the concrete floor. So we were still in the prison, just another part of it. Well, that was something.

"Shyra, look. We've got a new buddy," Leah said, gesturing to the boy. I cocked my head to the side, but ignored him for now. David was saying something, and it worried me.

"They got him... Oh, Precursors, they got the heir of dark and light... The false child is coming soon, and she will not hesitate... Sand and stone, scales and silver, shadows and shimmers, sky and shades, sinners and saviors... The pieces are all coming together... They will face the four and use chaos as their wings... The Queen will fall..." he mumbled. I rubbed my head against his arm, purring softly, then walked over to the boy. He watched me, fear cloaking the salt on his skin. What was he? All the people in here were channelers, but he smelled stronger than the rest. And... there was something else to him. A scent I didn't know, but that made Shadow recoil from the edges of my consciousness.

" **Light Eco,** " she hissed in disbelief.

Could it be? Had this misplaced boy come into contact with that legendary substance within the past year? Pinion had told me stories of how the Precursors had used Light Eco to fight in some great war, but that it had nearly been wiped from existence as a consequence. Had he somehow managed to obtain some and channel it? If so, then he might be able to handle the Dark Eco. Light always strengthened a channeler's abilities, that's what she had told me, so maybe he could last long enough to build up a tolerance to Dark. I hoped so. He reminded me of Lower Skyheed, where the sun baked the sands around the city and the wind brought the taste of the sea to every window. It was a better time, though occasionally the humans that thought us gods brought rumors of monsters in the desert attacking their vehicles. Pinion would pale whenever she heard that and would pull me close, though only her lashing snow leopard tail and fluffed-up wings betrayed her concern.

Maybe she was right to worry about the monsters. I had one living with me.

The boy reached out a hand, and I let him stroke my head. Eventually, I was tired of being a gryphoness and gave Leah a particular look she knew all too well.

"Hey, Jak, you should probably look away. Shyra wants to change back," she said pleasantly. Leah was a miracle. Despite the torture she had been put through, the woman was one of the kindest people I knew. She could have ended up like David, demented and muttering in a corner, or Freya, taking refuge in a more animalistic mind, or Po and Crispin, choosing silence over all else, or even me, bitter and vengeful. Instead, her suffering had made her a better person.

He gave her a confused look, but obliged, covering his eyes with his hands. I went back over to my clothes and shifted, a blast of white light hiding the transformation. When I was back to normal, I pulled on my uni from and rejoined Leah, David, and Jak.

"You can look now," I growled softly, sitting in front of him. He moved his hands away from his face, and the expression revealed made me chuckle darkly. His blue eyes were wide, and his mouth gaped at me.

"Let me get that for you," I told him, putting out a hand and closing his mouth for him. Leah giggled and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, she does that," she told him quietly. I shrugged and held out a hand.

"Welcome to the Dark Warrior Program, Jak. Welcome to hell," I said grimly, taking his hand and shaking it firmly.

* * *

 **Author's Notes: So, like with Blue Eyes, I'm putting all the review replies down here. Please review! You give me life and joy!**

 **And I'm sorry for not updating Blue Eyes: Unfilled Lives and Frozen Flames. Stupid laptop. This goes out to Eragonfan33, JakAttack13, Mcpoop, TimeLordCompanion, fanficfanaticxoxo, and from Unfilled Lives, and from Flames, to Alexa Wayne, Arissa895, Hello50, Jabba1555, JustanamelessGirl, Reaper495, Shadowknight77, Sophia Kaiba, Spartan322, Tempest the Seawing, TheGirlOfCrazyLand, UltimateOne, Whiterabbit17, Yami1414, brunocnn22, darkness surrounds me, dream lighting, eldergrayskull, macwag5, missyizzy, silentdemise79, souleater6072, xXxBloody-KitsunexXx, yesboss21, and yukicarr. I'm not listing the followers, because that would just be too much, and I've got enough squiggly red lines on my screen right now. So sorry to those I didn't mention. But I know you're there, and you're still in my mind.**

 **Wild Cat 214, out!**


	3. Chapter 2: Ottsels Are Friends, Not Food

**Author's Notes: Sorry about the late update. I got caught up in other stories. But I'm back, and I come bearing a new chapter! WHOO! Okay, enough mushiness. Time to get to the story!**

 **Disclaimer: You know the drill. Just the OC's and additions of my own. Nothing else.**

* * *

 _"_ _The Gryphus believed in one thing: a person's being should never be violated, except in combat. The only forms of alteration they accepted were battle scars, never piercings or tattoos. Any markings on their bodies were completely natural, and while possessing such traits was not frowned upon, having them added was strictly forbidden. That is part of the reason why they avoided contact with Eco. The tendency of the precious substance to change how a person felt, much like some drugs, was anathema to those proud warriors." Xavier Lang, from Gryphus: The Truth About That Ancient Race_

* * *

 _Present day..._

Shyra's POV

The pain was excruciating, and we couldn't help but scream against it. Seven years. That's how long I had been in here, being injected with Dark Eco and watching the few friends I had die off. He had been with me for the last two years. Now it was just me and Jak left. Only the two of us left to face the treatments.

"Dark Eco injection cycle complete. Bio readings nominal and unchanged in both subjects," the AI announced monotonously. The Baron harrumphed with undisguised wrath, while Jak merely panted with the brief respite from the agony. Even over the creaking of air ducts and the hum of machinery, I could tell he was alive. The only one who understood what I had gone through. The only person who knew what having a Dark side was like, and having to force it back during every treatment just to keep yourself sane. The one man I would never abandon or betray. We had been through too much together. To stab Jak in the back would be like tearing my own wings off.

The Baron stomped toward the head scientist in charge of the program, going between the two Chairs that had been set up just for us, and glared at him. I opened my eyes to thin slits to watch them. If they decided to put us through more injection cycles, I was going to kill them all.

"Nothing! I was informed that these two might be different," he roared at the cause of our suffering. The fear that rolled off the brunet man's skin almost made up for the atrocities he had performed on me and Jak. Almost.

"M-my lord, the results of our t-tests have shown that Prisoners 214 and 253 should have been the most r-receptive to the treatments. P-perhaps they have b-built up a resistance to the Dark Eco," he stammered, backing up a bit and glancing at the door.

"P-please, let me check the r-results again," he begged before scurrying away. I made sure he didn't see my eyes when he went past. Better if they didn't realize I had already regained some of my strength.

"You do that," Praxis growled in his wake. Erol glared at his retreating back, and when the door hissed shut, the leader began to vent his rage.

"AGH! You should at least be dead with all the Dark Eco we've pumped into you two!" he roared, picking Jak up by his hair and sending spittle flying into his face. How dare he? But I could only seethe as he let go and stepped away.

"What now? Metal Head armies are pressing their attack. Without a new weapon, my men cannot hold them off for long, and Experiment 71-G is not yet ready for field work," the KG commander asked, a hint of worry creeping imperceptibly into his voice. If it hadn't been me, no one would have heard it.

"I will not be remembered as the man who lost this city to those vile creatures! Move forward with the final plan! And finish off these... _things_ tonight," Praxis replied with revulsion. He stormed off, probably to go stab things with his poisonous sword, and Erol bowed low.

"As you wish. I'll be back later," he purred darkly, leaning over Jak as he said it. He followed in the wake of his ruler, and once I heard they were gone, I looked at Jak completely. He was still resting, still regaining his strength before we were carted away in the cages, and I tried breaking through the metal straps to reach him. They didn't budge.

"Jak, I'm here," I whispered. I hadn't changed into my Gryphus form during the testing, thank goodness, but now I was regretting not transforming sooner. If I had been Gryphus, I could have shifted into my gryphon form and worked my way out of the straps securing me. Then I could have gotten to Jak and tried to help him.

"Ding, ding! Third floor: roach food, body chains, torture devices!" a squeaky voice said with mock cheeriness. An orange rat thing appeared over the edge of the platform, threw a bundle of cloth onto the metal floor, and hopped off of the lift to land on Jak.

"Hey, buddy. You seen any heroes around here?" he said curiously. When he got a good look at the young man he was standing on, the rat jerked back with surprise.

"WHOA! What'd they do to you?" he asked. Jak was silent, and I was watching him silently. He looked like the kangarats Pinion used to cook up when I was a kid, and I was feeling pretty hungry after those treatments. Prison fare isn't the best for satisfying the stomach.

"Jak, it's me, Daxter!" he whined. At this, the young man looked up briefly, his eyes opening for a few seconds before his head flopped back against his Chair. The rat put his paws on his hips.

"Well, that's a fine hello! I've been crawling around this place, risking my tail," he started ranting, stomping on Jak's stomach and making him curl up a bit in pain (which made me want to eat him for hurting Jak), "Literally, and this is how you react? Say something! Just this once!"

At this, the young man finally awoke completely and sat up, glaring at the rat.

"I'm gonna kill Praxis!" he growled. The rat placed a paw over his mouth and a toe to his own big mouth.

"SHH! We gotta get you outta here, bud. Let's see, how do you work the controls for this thing?" he mumbled, and I could tell something was happening to Jak while he spoke. HE was coming. The dark version of Jak. Or, as Shadow called him, Jeriah.

Jeriah was the one who broke off the cuffs holding him down, and then ripped off my straps. I hopped down to the floor gratefully, rubbing against his leg, and then looked at the shocked rat, Daxter, I believe.

"Or, uh, you could do it. And free, uh, whatever that is," he said nervously. Jeriah and I advanced, not letting Shadow come out just yet. If I needed to, I could let her out and have her fun, but I wanted to hunt down this annoying rat as myself.

"Jak, it's... it's me. It's your old pal, Daxter, remember?" Daxter tried pleading with him, not noticing me about to pounce. I was going to eat well tonight.

Jeriah was about to attack the rat with a roar when Jak took control again and stumbled backwards, his claws sheathing, his horns receding, and his body regaining its color.

"D-Daxter?" he asked uncertainly, looking at the rat with confusion. I didn't care if he knew the rat. If he did, I would just have to bear with the consequences. Right now, I needed to eat. So I pounced and pinned the rat to the ground. He screamed, and right when I was about to deliver the killing blow, Jak reached out and stopped me.

"Shyra, no! He's an old friend," he protested. I stopped, let the rat go, and hopped up onto the Chair beside him. The rat picked himself up and looked at both of us in shock.

"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?! Sheesh, remind me not to piss you two off. Especially you, kitty," he said, pointing one toe/finger at me. I flattened my ears to my head and looked at Jak. Before I could do anything, Daxter climbed up onto his shoulder and looked down at me warily.

"So, uh, who's your friend?" he said nervously. Jak rubbed his head uncomfortably and motioned to me.

"Dax, this is Shyra. She's a close friend of mine. Shyra, this is Daxter. I've known him for a while, and I'd prefer it if you didn't eat him," he introduced us. I huffed and climbed up onto his other shoulder.

"Rat is friend, not food?" I chirped quietly. He nodded. Two years together had helped me teach Jak how to understand what I said. Shadow and Jeriah could just use Darkspeak to communicate, but us "normals" had to deal with what our minds could handle.

"Exactly." Daxter eyed us both, and I narrowed my eyes in his direction. He rubbed the back of his fuzzy head uncertainly, then looked down at the bundle on the ground.

"Well, uh, that aside, I brought you some new threads, Jak. Put 'em on, before someone outside realizes you're in a prison getup," he explained. We both hopped off to let him change, even though Daxter looked away while he did so. I didn't, but simply looked at the scars on his back. If I were in Gryphus form, I would have almost a complete match for his on my own back. As it was, my feathers and fur covered up some of the scarring, and the rest was just barely visible.

Once Jak had changed, we set off through the Fortress, killing any guards who got too close and jumping, climbing, and running our way to freedom. When we finally came to an area with old boxes and water, I could smell the "fresh" air of the city outside. It had been seven years since I last smelled that air. The filtered atmosphere of the Fortress was too cold and sterile, but this was warm and smoky, like fire.

It smelled like freedom.

Jak climbed up the boxes quickly, not even making a noise as I tensely dug my claws into his shoulder, and we reached the opening. It looked like some sort of window, only there was no glass or screen to block it off. Whatever it was, it meant a way out.

"We made it!" Daxter cheered. I rolled my eyes and held on tightly as Jak jumped down to the ground outside. To freedom, strange as it sounded in this walled-in city.

* * *

 **Author's Notes: Yeah, that was not the most ideal way for Daxter and Shyra to get acquainted, but it was necessary. Oh, in case you were wondering, her name is pronounced Shee-rah, not Shai-ra. Just to clarify things.**

 **Please review! I know I've been a terrible author for making you wait this long, but I want reviews! I want to see what you guys think of this story!**

 **Okay, I'll stop begging.**

 **Wild Cat 214, tearfully out!**


	4. Chapter 3: Familiar Scents

**Author's Notes: Okay, I'm really sorry about the late update. I was working on other stories.**

 **I'm actually thinking about having this story update a bit less frequently than some of my other stories, since this is relatively new ground for me. And I want to finish a few other things, like maybe Blue Eyes: Unfilled Lives, so that'll be easier if I don't have to worry about mixing up two different characters in the same fandom.**

 **Disclaimer: The Jak and Daxter franchise is not mine. Just the OC's.**

* * *

" _As they have many animal characteristics, it should come as no surprise to learn that the Gryphus have keener senses of smell, hearing, sight, and taste than humans do. With the predatory instincts and skills of the mighty gryphons they become, they were feared and revered by the Marauders of the Wasteland as hunter gods that ruled the skies. Of course, their senses also help them determine whether someone is friend or foe, a handy tool in a dangerous world." -Xavier Lang, from_ Gryphus: The Truth About That Ancient Race

* * *

Haven City smelled much the same as it had when I was free, though the air was sootier and there were more people that smelled of fear. As Jak carried both me and the rat called Daxter along the street, I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to my mother. Was she still in the city, wondering if I was still alive? Had she given up hope that she would ever see me again?

Would she want me back, after everything I had been put through?

We continued through the street, eventually coming across an old man in blue robes and a kid with blue and white clothing and a brown cap on his head. There was something familiar to their scents, but I couldn't put my finger on it. What was it?

"Hello, strangers. My name is Kor. May I help—" the old man cut in front of us suddenly.

"You look like a reasonably smart man. I want information. Where the hell am I?" Jak interrupted rudely, invading the man's personal space as he spoke. I hopped down to look at the kid, like Daxter had, and sniffed him cautiously. He smelled like the old man, showing they were around each other a lot, and he also smelled like something else. But what?

"Uh, sorry. He's new to the whole conversation thing," Daxter apologized on his friend's behalf. The kid reached out to pet him, but quickly withdrew his hand. I rubbed my head against his elbow and allowed him a quick pet where my dark metal plates were, listening partially to what the old man – Kor – was saying to Jak.

"Well, my _angry_ young friend, you are a 'guest' of his 'majesty' Baron Praxis, the ruler of 'glorious' Haven City," Kor replied, sarcasm dripping from his words. I walked away from the kid and up to the man, investigating him this time. Yes, he had a very familiar scent to him, thought I couldn't place it. Where did I know that smell from?

"We were just 'guests' in the good Baron's prison," Jak said, picking me up and placing me back on his shoulder.

"Inside a cell or inside the city, walls surround us all. We are all his prisoners." It was a bit after those ominous words that Kor finally saw me with all of his attention. His eyes glittered curiously as they surveyed me, and I shuffled my wings uncomfortably.

"Say, is that a gryphon on your shoulder?" the old man asked. Jak glanced at me, and I nodded once.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Amazing. I never thought I'd actually see one with my own eyes. Your, ah, friend there is very special, my boy," Kor said with a small smile. Part of me shivered at the grin. Part of me wanted to trust this guy. He smelled familiar, and seemed trustworthy. The rest of me wanted to claw him and bite him into nothing but gory goop. What was with that?

The sound of approaching, awfully familiar footsteps caught my attention, and apparently it did the same to Kor's. He turned and blanched, backing away.

"Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I-I'd move on, if I were you," he said nervously, shielding the boy behind him from the men in red coming towards us. I tensed up. The Krimzon Guard. Come to do more terrible things to the people of this city, no doubt.

"By order of his eminence, the Grand Protector of Haven City, Baron Praxis, everyone in this section is hereby under arrest for suspicion of harboring Underground fugitives. Surrender and die!" the lead Krimzon Guard shouted, informing all nearby of their horrible purpose.

"Uh, excuse me, sir, don't you mean surrender, OR DIE?!" Daxter retorted with a slight tinge of hysteria.

"Not in this city! Protect us from these guards, and I'll introduce you to someone who can help you!" Kor offered up this little bit of information. Jak seemed to contemplate it, and one look at my resolved face made up his mind.

We were going to fight these blood-soaked men, and then we would take the fight to the Baron.

-8

Jak punched and kicked the guards, defying their swipes at him with their guns and the electric currents coming from some of them. Shyra did the same, becoming a whirling ball of razor-sharp claws and teeth that tore through the KG quickly. As they did so, Dark Eco dropped from a few of the downed men's armor, the power supplied to the scarlet plates that protected them, and the two of them absorbed it.

With every globule of Dark Eco, he could feel his Dark self rising up... closer... closer... nearing the surface until he was barely holding it back. Once, Shyra had said her Dark self, Shadow, had dubbed his own Dark self Jeriah, during a test run in the mountains of Haven City against some captured Metal Heads with the few who survived the initial dosages. Now Jeriah was coming out, and there was nothing more he could do to keep him inside.

The Dark beast let out a roar as he was finally freed, the transformation happening quickly. His healthy pink skin paled to a sickly gray-white color, his hair bleached to an ash-white, and his eyes became inky pools of darkness; black horns burst through the scalp and jutted out of his hair, short fangs formed in his mouth, and long black claws shot out from where his nails had originally been. Jeriah was out.

At around the same time, Shyra changed to Shadow, her silver fur darkening to black and her dark gray stripes turning to white, even as her plates of armor and claws shifted from gunmetal to an almost black, metallic color. She also grew in size, going from around the same size as a large housecat to almost the size of a mountain lion, and her wings became black as night as her eyes turned pure white.

Jeriah and Shadow shared a look of dark ecstasy and leaped back into the fray, tearing the remaining KG to shreds. Blood pooled in the street when they were done, slowly being soaked up by the dusty, unpaved road, and unmoving bodies surrounded them. With a shudder, the last of the Eco drained away from the two figures left in the center of the carnage, and Jak and Shyra returned to their bodies.

-8

"That was cool! Do it again!" Daxter exclaimed. The young man seemed to be having trouble getting Jeriah to settle down again, and I went up to him hesitantly. I had years of experience with keeping Shadow back, but Jak had only a fraction of my experience. I was ready to do what it took to help him.

"Something's happening to me... Something he did... I can't... control it," his voice relaxed, even as he felt Jeriah's influence receding again. I jumped onto his shoulder and rubbed my cheek against his face in comfort, and he stroked my back slowly. This had worked before, thought Jak was familiar with the fact that I also had a humanoid form.

"Very impressive," Kor murmured. I glanced at him warily, then back to Jak. He still seemed to be having trouble holding Jeriah back, and I can't say I blamed him. Usually, around this time in the transformation, the Baron's men would have injected us with something to knock us out, so we would shift back in our sleep and wake up in our normal forms.

"Ehh, you okay, Jak?" Daxter asked uncertainly. I shot him a baleful glance. Of course he was not okay! He had Dark Eco inside of him, an entirely separate entity trying to take control of his body, and had been through some of the most horrible things possible in the last two years!

"What you just did was very brave. This child is important," Kor informed us, gesturing to the boy. I cocked my head to the side. That boy? Seriously?

" _This_ kid? He looks kinda... scruffy," the ottsel replied incredulously, voicing my internal thoughts. A guard flew by in a huge hover, a model I believed was called a Hellcat, going by what I had overheard from the guards during the little field tests we had to go through.

"You are in a restricted zone. Move along," he ordered gruffly, just before he flew on his way.

"Thank you for your help, but I must get this boy to safety," the old man said, starting to walk away. Daxter was having none of it.

"Hey! What about us?" he demanded, reminding Kor of his deal. We protect him and the boy, and he gives us information. He stopped a short distance away and turned to face us again.

"There is an Underground group waging war against Baron Praxis. Its leader, the Shadow, could use fighters like you two! Go to the slums. Find a dead-end alley near the city wall. Ask for Torn. He can help you," Kor supplied, shortly before walking away with the kid. I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that I knew both of their scents somehow, but I soon forced it down. Wondering where I knew it from wouldn't get me anywhere.

"Jak, I think it might be best if I see this Torn in a form that can be understoood. Do you think we can find me some clothes?" I growled softly. He nodded, and as we walked around, he spied some laundry hanging out to dry in a dark alley. I hopped from one clothesline to another, perusing the selection until I finally settled on a brown apron, a wide, medium-length black skirt, a pair of black tights, some short brown boots, and a long strip of dark green cloth that would serve as a top. He took Daxter with him when he went to stand watch in the mouth of the alley, leaving me privacy to change form and to get dressed. I tied the cloth around my chest first, since I knew most people in Haven City wouldn't appreciate it if I went around in just the apron and skirt, then pulled on the tights. They were reasonably stretchy and went over my clawed feet well, thought I did tear off the feet as an afterthought. I didn't sweat like humans did, so I didn't really need to worry about having stinky feet all that much, and the soles of my feet were quite leathery and tough. After that came the skirt, which settled well over my tail, and then the apron went over my front. If I got lucky, I might be able to find some beads, some shears, and maybe some decorative thread to make it into a proper Gryphus apron.

"Okay, I'm ready," I called out softly, my voice slightly hoarse from the hours of disuse. Jak and Daxter rejoined me, and the ottsel did a double take when he caught sight.

"Wait, who are you?" he asked incredulously. I rolled my eyes.

"If you were going to be this stupid, I should have eaten you in the prison when I had the chance," I growled in a low tone, smirking when he realized who I was.

"Shyra?! But... how?"

"Gryphus. I'm a shapechanger. Well, partially Gryphus. The rest of me is human," I admitted quietly. Jak was silent, appraising my wings, ears, and tail. A thought seemed to come to him.

"Then can't you shift into a human? I've never actually seen you do it, but it should be possible. And it would make getting through the city a lot easier if you weren't so, uh, _distinctive_ ," he said. I shrugged.

"I'll try. But I warn you, I've never even thought of doing it. I don't know if it'll work or not," I said cautiously. They backed up to give me some room, and I concentrated. It was hard, trying to find the part of me that was human. That's how I change shapes, by finding that part and making it the center of attention. It's why I can't change into other animals, like in some of the legends on shapechangers.

I closed my eyes, feeling a slight warmth as I did, at last, manage to find that elusive human part of me, and with a deep intake of breath I began pushing it to the forefront of my mind. An outer light made my eyelids glow red inside, and the triumphant grunt Jak made alerted me to the change.

"Did it work?" I asked, looking at him. He waved me at a dusty, yet surprisingly intact window pane. "Look for yourself."

I went over, noting with some shock that my sense seemed to have dulled. My eyesight was no longer as keen, and neither were my hearing and olfactory sense. In addition, my back felt lighter, but my entire body felt heavier, somehow. It was when I dusted it off and looked closely that I saw the change.

My eyes weren't the animal yellow of the past, anymore. They were a darker, more golden hue now, and my pupils were round, instead of slits. My hair had lightened, as well, turning a more platinum than silver-gray color, and my feline ears had been replaced with the same long, pointed ones as the humans. My wings were gone, as were the faint stripes that used to garnish my upper arms, neck, and face. A quick glance behind told me my tail was also gone.

I was human.

"Huh. Didn't expect that to work on the first try," I muttered in mild surprise. Jak's footsteps came up behind me, and I turned to look at him.

"How is it?" I asked curiously. He looked me over and nodded once.

"You look fine. Now, let's go find this Torn guy," he said gruffly. I dipped my head in agreement and followed him back out into the street. We found a small, one-person zoomer, but Jak simply told me to get up behind him. I did so and wrapped my arms around his waist, holding on tightly as he began driving through the streets.

We were on our way to get help. Maybe this Underground could get us to the Baron for the ass-kicking he deserved. Maybe...

* * *

 **Author's Notes: Yay, reviews! *\o/***

 **Guest (Chapter 3, Mar. 26) – Thanks for your generous praise :D I am ashamed to say that I am occasionally one of those people who reads and doesn't review, but sometimes that's 'cause I simply can't think of what to say :(**

 **AdriannaMarianne (Chapter 2, Apr. 3) – She sounds like an intriguing character, but sadly, I am not accepting OC's at the moment. Not for this fic, anyways. I will need some for my Strays series, though, for later in that storyline.**

 **Wild Cat 214, out!**


	5. Chapter 4: Torn's Tower Task

**Author's Notes: Wow, even though this story doesn't have that many chapters, it's already gotten 12 favorites and 14 follows. I'm feeling the love, people! :D Thanks to all of you! I love you guys!**

 **Disclaimer: The Jak and Daxter series is not mine. Only my OC's are.**

* * *

" _While some people think that the Gryphus were unlawful creatures that were quite willing to let the Marauders worship them, this is not actually the case. Recent finds in their abandoned city show that they had laws and customs that were very strictly followed. Criminals were dealt with harshly, the better to dissuade further instances. In addition to their faithfulness in following the law was their reverence for promises. Gryphus who reneged on their word were ostracized. That is why the bonds they made, business deals and friendships alike, were so tightly woven, and why they were such a fierce race. It is hard to defeat an enemy so totally united against you." -Xavier Lang, from_ Gryphus: The Truth About That Ancient Race

* * *

I relished the feeling of our speed, the force of the wind whipping my hair back like it used to, when I still lived in Lower Skyheed with Pinion. Before I was put in the stasis sphere. Pinion had told me that it was the only way to take care of the monsters, but I hadn't understood what she meant by that. Now, I guess I never will.

Thinking of the past reminded me of the promise Jak and I had made a year ago, when we became the last subjects in the Dark Warrior Program. The promise that we would protect each other and stay together as long as we lived, if we ever got out of the prison. It had been the only thing keeping me going back then. Now I would live up to that promise.

Eventually, we came upon the alley Kor had mentioned, and as the hover jerked to a stop, I took a deep breath. This was it. This was the day we began to strike back.

"You okay, Shyra? You seem kinda tense," Daxter commented. I nodded, getting off and landing on my feet easily.

"I am fine. I am merely thinking about our plans for the future," came my curt, if gentle, reply. Jak seemed to realize what I meant by that, since he said nothing as we began walking towards the alley. He remembered the promise, too. No matter what happened, I would always stay by his side, and he by mine. Two years in prison had brought us closer than most people could get within a decade, simply because of the things we had endured together and the suffering we had witnessed and experienced. If nothing else, I considered him my feathermate, even if he did not feel the same about me.

As we approached the end of the alley, a blonde woman stepped into our path and gave us a grim, threatening look.

"We're looking for a guy named Torn. Kor sent us," Jak said, his voice still a little rough from earlier. The woman stepped aside and allowed a man with ruddy hair and tattoos on his face to get closer. He leaned forward, eyeing us suspiciously.

"Um... Are you... Torn?"

"Maybe this guy's a mute, like you used to be," Daxter said softly. Ah, yes, Jak's previous silence. Maybe it was the Dark Eco, or maybe it had been whatever traces of Light Eco were still left in him, but he had soon regained the use of his voice within minutes of the beginning of his first dose of Dark Eco. Hearing his voice raised in pain and terror had been terrible, especially as the months went by and they increased his dosage. I was glad I could talk to him, but at the same time regretful as to how that had come to be. Damn Praxis, for all he had done to us!

"New faces make me nervous. Word is you're out to join the fight for the city. You know, picking the wrong side could be... unhealthy," Torn finally said, after he was done appraising us.

"We want to see the Shadow," my former cellmate said resolutely. The other man laughed, and I tensed up. What was his game?

"Not likely. If you want to join something, why don't you, your girlfriend, and your pet go join the circus?" Daxter jumped down to protest this comment, while I merely tilted my head to the side in thought. What was a girlfriend? Was it a female friend? Or was it something else, going by the way Jak had stiffened when he said it? Mother had never told me, and Pinion couldn't have told me, anyways. Not unless I managed to find a spirit stone and talk to her, receive some of her knowledge.

But right when the orange rat was about to say something, Torn pulled out a gleaming, curved knife from a sheath on his back and chuckled. Daxter climbed back up to Jak's shoulder, while I simply glared at the weapon. It was beautiful, in a deadly sort of way, but how would he use it?

"Unless you've got the fur for a really tough task? Steal the Baron's banner from the top of the Ruined Tower and bring it back to me. Then, maybe we'll talk," he said smugly, throwing his knife into the air, making it spin, and then catching it with the ease of practice.

My eyes narrowed, but we said nothing as we began walking away. Finally, when we reached the hover we had used to get here, I asked Jak the question that was bothering me.

"Jak, what is a girlfriend?"

He and Daxter froze, and the ottsel was the first to recover.

"She's kidding, right?" I shook my head in reply, and Jak turned back to look at me.

"Uh, Shyra, a girlfriend is the human version of a feathermate," he explained, his face a bit pink as he spoke. I nodded in understanding. So Torn thought I was Jak's feathermate? Interesting. Not true, but interesting.

"I see. Well, let us go get that banner," I said calmly, motioning towards the hover. Daxter gave me a strange look, but he said nothing as Jak climbed onto the main seat and pulled me up behind him.

That soon changed when we had reached the gate leading to the part of the city lost during an attack.

"So, uh, Shyra, where are you from? I've never met a girl like you," he asked casually. I shrugged, still not entirely accustomed to the feeling of not having wings on my back.

"I would be surprised if you had. I was born in Lower Skyheed, far off in the Great Desert, about three hundred years ago," I told him as we jumped down to the hole in the ground that would give us access to the security gate. He stiffened.

"Wow, you sure don't look it."

"Well, I was asleep for most of the time between then and now. Mother found my stasis sphere and let me out about eight years ago," I said softly. What had happened to her? When they had taken me, they had mentioned something about getting rid of any witnesses. Had the Baron's forces killed her?

The doors hissing open, the little round locks in them spinning and sliding across to the other sides, and we stepped into the airlock. Mother had sometimes taken me out to Haven Forest, and the airlock there had been similar to this one.

"Opening outer shield," the city's computer announced once the door closed behind us, and the outer door's gear began spinning until the lines in it matched the cracks in the door. When it opened, we stepped out into ruins, filled with foul, muddy water, crumbling concrete and stone, and creatures I had seen in a picture book Mother had once left lying around. Glubs and Znorkle Tooths, the little green amphibian monsters and their yellow and orange, reptilian buddies, stood in our way.

0*0*0

The monsters had been easy to take care of, though a Znorkle Tooth had whipped me with its tongue when I got careless, and Jak and I had absorbed the Dark Eco they left behind. I shuddered every time a glob of the awful substance touched my skin, but at least it wasn't killing me. My human heritage at work, along with the experiments they had performed on me. We had jumped and climbed around on the ruins, heading towards a crumbly tower with a familiar insignia on the banner flapping at the top, and now, ten minutes after we had arrived, we stood at the base.

"Ready?" Jak asked. I nodded, and together we began jumping around in a spiraling path up the outside of the tower. A few times, we came to poles sticking out of the sides, but swinging on them and over to more platforms was simple. The only truly scary part was when I jumped up to a platform ahead of Jak, and the one he was standing on began breaking beneath his feet.

"Jak!" I cried out, reaching out and grabbing his wrist before he fell into the polluted water below us. He was heavy, enough so that I struggled to hold him up, but Daxter climbed up our linked arms and helped me pull him up to join us on the stable platform.

"Thanks," he said, panting slightly. I nodded.

"It was nothing. Come. Let's get that banner soon. I do not like this place," I replied softly, glancing around. Even in my human form, I could sense the death that had occurred in this place. No wonder the guards had sometimes referred to this area as Dead Town. Only ghosts lived here now.

The rest of the ascent was uneventful, though many more platforms broke beneath our weight and we had to be quick. When we reached the top, I triumphantly eyed the red cloth fluttering in the breeze.

"There it is. Let's grab it and leave," I suggested. Jak nodded and stepped forward, Daxter jumping to the ground shortly after. The young man pulled it out from where it had been resting while Daxter began doing a victory dance for some strange reason, but when he forcefully pushed the end onto the ground, a cracking noise came from the tower below us. I tensed up, and for good reason, since the piece of stone jutting out over the water fell apart and made us the subject of that harsh mistress, gravity. Daxter let out a scream as we fell.

Jak and I bounced off an old awning gracefully, but the ottsel that had freed us was not so lucky and let out another strange scream as he flew back through the air. We landed on a steel cable, and while the two of us grinded down it with ease, Daxter was a different story, going by the different sort of yell he let out when he hit it. I jumped off first and flipped, landing and kneeling before I stood up to look at Torn. Jak landed beside me, brandishing the banner proudly. Eventually, Daxter crashed into the dirt beside him. We turned to see the tower fall down, chunks of concrete breaking off and falling into the water, and Torn seemed a bit surprised.

"Yeah. I guess you guys are in," he said hoarsely. I smirked and folded my arms. We were one step closer to revenge. Praxis had broken the oath the previous king had made when he allowed me to stay with Mother and had done such terrible things that even the most battle-hardened Gryphus would flinch. He deserved what was coming to him. What Jak and I would give him.

* * *

 **Author's Notes: I'm changing the title of this section down here to simply Reviews.**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Guest (Chapter 4, Jun. 11) – If there is one thing I try not to do, it's give up on a story because I'm not getting reviews. If, such as in the case of Blue Eyes, I decide to rewrite it, then it's usually not because of reviews or lack thereof – it's because I realized the story would be better if I changed it and did it a different way. And thanks! I hope the whole Shyra-can-become-human-as-well thing wasn't too weird or Mary Sue-ish.**

 **Wild Cat 214, out!**


	6. Chapter 5: Cut Off

**Author's Notes: Hey, everyone! The plot continues in this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: Y'all know why this is here. Nuff said.**

* * *

" _The city of Lower Skyheed, the city of the Gryphus that was accessible for the Marauders and other land-based cultures, lies past the great river on the eastern half of the Wasteland. There are legends that Mar himself used to contemplate the universe and Eco in the pool at the river's head, where the waterfalls from Upper Skyheed reach the desert below, though whether this is true is not for this humble author to decide. Regardless, the Gryphus considered the river – and water in general, such as the oasis nearby – as a place of peace, where conflict was forbidden. They considered it the source of life, and thus not to be contaminated by death." -Xavier Lang,_ Chapter 8: Habitations of the Gryphus _, from_ Gryphus: The Truth About That Ancient Race

* * *

We followed Torn back to the Hideout, where Daxter immediately went to the pipe on the back wall and looked back at us.

"Whew... being a big hero sure makes ya thirsty!" he declared, flexing his forelegs in a curious manner before he pulled down the lever on the side. There was an ominous gurgle from the pipe, and instead of clear water, dark gunk sprayed right into his mouth. I smirked at the sight of him spitting it out disgustedly then looked at Torn.

"The Baron turned off all water to the slums. He's willing to sacrifice _innocent lives_ just to _destroy_ the Underground. I shouldn't be surprised. I've seen his evil before, while serving in the Krimzon Guard. That's why I quit," he explained, seeing the looks on my and Jak's faces. My hackles rose in outrage.

"You were a Krimzon Guard? Huh. Guess that explains your... charming sense of humor," Jak seemed more interested in that part of his explanation. It didn't make much sense to me, but then again, neither did most human behavior.

"He turned off the water? What kind of monster does that?" I snarled furiously. Torn smirked coldly.

"The Baron, apparently. My friend in the Guard tells me the valve to turn the water back on is located _outside_ the city, at the Pumping Station," he informed us grimly. I nodded, tucking this tidbit of knowledge away for now. If the Baron tried anything like this again, after we fixed it (since I had already decided we were going to fix it), I'd know how to take care of the problem.

"Outside the city? What about the security walls?" Jak asked concernedly, looking at me. I was confused at first, then understood. In the Fortress, there had been a multitude of security gates for when they were taking us and the others out for field testing, and each was programmed to detect the Dark Eco inside us and what we were. Each one had known that I was half-Gryphus. What if the ones in the main wall also knew that?

"What about the Metal Heads?! It ain't a petting zoo out there! Peeps be getting deep-sixed!" Daxter retorted, doing some weird gesture with his paw-hands. I knelt down and patted his head gently. "Do not fear, little one. I will protect you from the big, bad Metal Heads."

My tone was playful, and the scowl that formed on his face told me he understood I was teasing him. The ottsel shot me a dirty look and looked away, conspicuously avoiding eye contact with me.

"Find the large drain pipe in the north wall. It'll take you outside the city to the Pumping Station. Get to the main valve and open it. _If_ you survive, the slums will be indebted to you. If not, _maybe_ we'll have a touching moment of silence in your honor," Torn gave us our orders with a smug grin, apparently taking pleasure from making us as uncomfortable as possible. It was a typical Gryphus tactic, and I admired him for using it. Keeping us on our toes meant we would be better prepared for fighting.

"I'd like to give him a 'touching moment,'" Daxter muttered, sending a glare Torn's way. He climbed back onto Jak's shoulder and we left, heading towards a bright green hover with two seats. My partner took the driver's seat, while I claimed the passenger seat, and we used the map built into the small communicator Daxter had slipped into Jak's clothing to find the pipe Torn mentioned.

While we drove, the ottsel glanced over at me.

"So, uh, Shyra, why were you so upset over finding out the Baron turned off the water?" he asked curiously. I clenched my fists, expecting my claws to dig into my flesh but not getting that feeling, and glared at the hover ahead of us.

"I was born and raised in the desert, remember? Water is very precious to my people. For someone to turn off the water to a section where hundreds of people live, risking innocent lives to dispose of their enemies, it sickens me," I replied harshly, feeling my Gryphus side rising up. I took a deep breath and focused on my human heritage, waiting until I had my form back under control to look at them. Daxter seemed surprised by my statement.

"Wow. What was it like in the desert? I've never been in one," he said eagerly. I smiled and thought back to my childhood.

"The sun was almost always shining, but when it went down and the green sun and the moon rose, the sky was beautiful. There was sand for miles and miles all around, and the mountains in the center were the ancestral home of my people. Cacti were everywhere, and sometimes Pinion would bring back cactus fruit as a treat. The sands were always warm beneath my feet, even at night. Sometimes, there would be sandstorms churning the dunes and revealing artifacts, and when those came, Pinion and I would hide in the cellar to wait them out.

"When it was market day, she would take me out to see the stalls and their wares. The smell of salt filled the air from the ocean nearby, as well as the scents of food cooking and the dusty smell of the desert that wrapped around everything. There was a river that ran near Lower Skyheed, and sometimes Pinion would take me out to play in the estuary that formed where it met the sea. I collected shells and made beads from the clay that formed in the riverbed, and she would make jewelry from it and sell it for supplies we needed. Sometimes we would receive warnings of strange monsters, and when that happened, Pinion wouldn't let me play outside. Later, when I woke up in this time, I learned those monsters were called Metal Heads. Back then, they were called Hora-quan."

By the time I finished talking, we had arrived at the pipe Torn had told us about, and Jak and Daxter had fallen silent.

"Do you miss it?" the human of the two suddenly asked. I considered it, then shook my head. "Not much. The desert was beautiful, but it was lonely, too. I didn't have any friends."

I pushed myself off the hover with ease, landing gently and waiting for them to join me at the gate. "Prison was where I made my first friends, only to see them die, one by one. Praxis is going to pay for that."

0*0*0

We had no difficulties getting through the gate, despite Jak's worries. The outer walls apparently couldn't tell that we were escaped prisoners. It was a small blessing, but I was thankful for it. It meant we could get in and out of the city when we needed to, without worrying about the Krimzon Guard coming after us every time we did.

When we were outside, I looked around before grinning. There were no people around to see us work. "Jak, I'm shifting. I recommend you two step away from me," I told him, rolling back my shoulders in preparation. He nodded and stepped away, shielding Daxter's eyes with one hand and protecting his own with his other. I focused on my Gryphus memories: the times I had flown with Pinion over the Great Desert, collecting shells along the beach, using my claws to help me climb up a rock that was too high for me to fly to the top. Slowly, I felt myself changing, and closed my eyes in anticipation of the light that would come.

My lids flashed bright red, signaling the change, and I opened my eyes to look down at myself. Dark gray, metallic claws on my fingers and toes. A pair of wings against my back. A tail hanging down under my skirt, the tip flicking. Heightened senses. Yes, I was Gryphus once more.

"Huh. You know, the next time you transform, we should wear some shades. It might be cool to see what happens," Daxter remarked. I folded my ears back against my head and glared at him. "It's considered rude to watch one of my people shift. Now come on. We have a valve to find."

Jak took the lead, crouching behind a bush when we caught sight of several shapes slinking around ahead of us.

" _Jak_ , those things are Metal Heads!" Daxter whispered, a touch of fear in his voice. I nodded in agreement, sniffing the air and sifting past the cold tang of machinery and the clean scent of water and greenery to the smell I wanted. Mountain Grunts. I remembered them from the field testing. Jak stood up, cracked his knuckles, and charged them, with the ottsel hanging on tightly and me following close behind. I slashed at one of them with my claws, their thick blood welling up in the deep cuts, and twisted out of the way of their counterattack. A brief stab of pain to my head made me pause, and I turned to see that Jak had kicked one of the Metal Heads into the machinery. It let out a cry of pain before lying on the ground limply and dissolving into Dark Eco. Its skull gem popped free, shining brightly despite the gunk it was sitting in, and he picked it up and tucked it in his pack.

A growl brought me back to the battle I was in, and I turned to see the Mountain Grunt I had scratched was crouching in readiness to leap. Its hind legs pushed it into the air and I ducked, slashing at its underbelly while it flew over me. The Metal Head let out a squeal of pain and hit the ground hard. More of its blood soaked the sand, sinking in gradually, and it let out a dying rasp of a growl before it, too, turned into Dark Eco and released its skull gem. I picked it up, ignoring the slight headache that was building, and handed it to Jak so he could store it in his pack.

"Everyone ready?" he asked, glancing at us. I nodded, and Daxter did, too, and he looked up at the machinery. There were three pipes frozen in their usual motion, one at the very bottom, one at halfway, and one at the very top, forming a very tall staircase. Jak jumped from one to the next, while I simply flew up and met him at the top.

"Showoff," Daxter muttered. I smiled slightly and looked around, assessing our options. To the left was a huge piece of machinery that Jak couldn't get past, and to our right was a ledge that he could jump to. Naturally, we went that way.

0*0*0

After several more fights with Metal Heads and a few close shaves with weird electrical things on the pipes, we stopped to take a breather on a spot facing away from the city. For some reason, my headache had gotten worse, and though I wasn't mentioning it, Jak had noticed me wincing. That was why he had suggested we stop for a few minutes and rest.

"Hey, uh, Shyra, who's this Pinion person you keep mentioning?" Daxter asked, having joined me in sitting near the sheer face of one of the islands the Pumping Station wound about. I scowled and looked at him, my eyes narrowing.

"Pinion Udolbi. She's my birth mother," I told him bluntly. He nodded, then stiffened and looked at me in shock. "What?! Then who's the person you keep calling Mother?"

"Emily Reed, the woman who found me and took me in eight years ago." The ottsel stared at me in confusion, then decided it was better not to ask. (At least, I assume that's what he decided, since he didn't say anything.) He went over to Jak and climbed back onto his shoulder, and my partner looked at me.

"Ready? Let's go," Jak said, standing up. I joined him quickly, the pain in my head having faded, and we continued on our search for the valve. We climbed further up the station, fighting even more Mountain Grunts, and found what looked like a wheel set on a pipe.

"Ah, the valve. Allow me," Daxter said, getting off and heading towards it. He tried pulling it to the left, pushing it up, and even hitting it, but it wouldn't budge. The ottsel finally got on top of the pipe it was attached to and tried pushing on one of the spokes, and Jak hit the pipe impatiently. The valve suddenly turned, sending Daxter flying up into a pipe that closed behind him. I could hear him traveling through the pipes, as well as the water that was following him.

"Whoops," Jak muttered sheepishly, hurrying off down the path that would take us back to the beginning. I shook my head slowly and followed.

Boys.

0*0*0

I started picking up Daxter's cries for help when we were nearly there. Jak jumped down and hurried to another valve, turning it to the right. First came Daxter's head, then his upper body, and, with a blast of water that he quickly cut off, the ottsel was shot out of the pipe. Jak knelt down and opened his mouth to say something, but Daxter held up a finger, stopping him.

"Don't say it. Don't even chuckle! Next time, YOU turn the valve," he said, sending a glare Jak's way before flopping back onto the ground. I knelt down and picked him up, holding him under his arms.

"Do I even want to know?" I asked, glancing at my partner. He shook his head, smirking, and took Daxter from me, setting the sopping wet ottsel back on his shoulder. "Come on. Let's go see Torn."

I nodded, looking around and relishing the feel of having my usual excellent senses. Alas, I would have to change to my human form before we went back into the city. My Gryphus form was just too conspicuous in Haven City. And I refused to remain out here and leave Jak and Daxter, even if they could take care of themselves. I had promised to never leave him. No matter what, I'd be there for Jak.

I had sworn it on the sands and the rivers, the mountains and the sky, the four things most important to my people. Even if everyone else left, I wouldn't. Because I promised Jak, and because I cared about him.

I would always come to help him, even when no one else did. Feather-mates stuck together.

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Guest (Chapter 5, Jun. 19) – Thanks for the reassurance. I believe the definition of a Mary Sue is "a female, original character that is seemingly perfect in every way and that all of the major characters love or at least do not dislike" with the male equivalent being a Marty Stu, correct? And yeah, I thought the reaction to "What is a girlfriend?" was pretty funny, too. Jak's used to her questions, since he's been with her for two years, but Daxter has no idea what Shyra is like, so I know that's going to be funny XD**


End file.
